41 Mistakes
by Anjelline
Summary: in which 41 mistakes are a tad... too much.


**Disclaimer: I don't own nodame cantabile, even if I wanted to… but I can write! I think. **

**I haven't fully understood the characters as yet.. I hope I've done enough justice for nodame and co. lol.**

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**41 mistakes**

"That garbage woman…" thought Chiaki Shinichi furiously, "That's the 40th mistake she's made on that damn piece."

He was pretty sure she'd be the death of him, yet whenever at the end of a stressful day, he felt the need to do something, _any thing_ just to get his mind off school and off the orchestra he was in-charge of.

Glaring half-heartedly at the score in front of him as he listened to his next door neighbour hit a note too sharp on the piano scale, he threw the score onto his couch and stomped over to Nodame's, ringing at her bell impatiently. The piano finally stopped producing sounds and he frowned as he waited for the slob of a girl to open the door for him. He was pretty sure he'd be disgusted at the sight of her room once again, 'I will just drag her over to my place and not care about the mess. Shinichi, we cannot bother about her mess. 41 mistakes is a big crime to Elgar.'

The door creaked open slightly and Chiaki tried to pull the door wide open, "You stupid girl, open up!!! I'm here to practice!!!!"

"Nooooo!!!!!!" He heard Nodame squeal back at him, trying to slam the door in his face.

"Why not? That's 41 mistakes you made!!! FORTY ONE, YOU HEAR ME?!" He yelled at her door as it slammed shut. "Open this door up now! NO-DA-ME!!"

Banging at her door after a good two minutes, Nodame finally opened the door, only to reveal a pungent stench. Chiaki forced back his urge to retch and inched his arm across to snatch what was known as 'that garbage woman'. He dragged the girl out and closed the door, studying the girl in front of him. As usual, her unkempt hair reeked, and so did her entire body generally. He pinched his nose and shot a fierce glare at her.

"Go and get your piano scores. We'll practice at my place. How many days have you not showered?" He asked, pushing her back into her room after making sure to hold his breath. "You stink!!!"

Nodame stared at her senpai absent mindedly as she listened to his voice wash over her, he was asking about her hygiene again.. 'How many days…. Today is… Thursday.. I last showered on… Sunday…' She looked up at the tall boy and sniffed at her clothes and cringed. 'Yeah, I do stink.. but the gas….'

"Uh… the gas…" She started, sheepishly scratching at her head.

"Again?! Ugh… fine. You can use my shower." She grinned happily and walked back into her room as she heard Chiaki senpai going back into his apartment to set up the piano for her. She hoped he'd prepare some dinner for her too. She hadn't eaten since Wednesday afternoon.

An hour, a freshly showered and well-fed Nodame later, Shinichi finally managed to get the girl to listen to Edward Elgar's _Salut d'Amour_ (for violin and piano) on his CD player while he was cooking and pointed out the 41 mistakes she'd made while she ate dinner.

"Now, keep at that tempo you'd kept at so far. Don't stray away and compose your own song." He instructed her, taking his violin out from its case, tuning it quickly. She'd begged for him to play the violin with her, and he'd stupidly agreed, but on the condition that she'd perfected the piano part well enough with minimal mistakes. He was surprised when she'd managed to perfect the song in three tries after dinner.

"You hear me, Nodame?" He sighed and ensured that the bow string was tightened. He turned to look at the girl who's eyes were trained on the piano score, studying the little pencil markings he'd drawn out for her. "No-da-me."

"Eh?"

"Ready?"

"Yes!"

"Whenever you feel like it... you may start…" He smiled at her gently.

'And here I am, ending up with this volunteer work again.' Shinichi thought distractedly as he flipped a page of the score, 'But it's fun and she's playing better now. So that's good.'

He looked at Nodame who smiled happily back at him.

It was a long night ahead, but if that meant better piano from her and taking his mind off school, he felt a little happy too.


End file.
